EHAC Course:

The mild pain is easily ignored by the victim and others because:

• The symptoms are mild.
• The onset of pain might not be noticeable.
• There is a strong tendency to continue business as usual.
• In some cases, there are no risk factors.
• The person is seldom ill and feels indestructible.
• The person needs to feel in control.
• The person is worried about what others will think.

The following are strategies to overcome denial and resistance to medical attention:

• Find out the most critical issue on the person's mind. Offer to take care of that concern yourself or have someone else do it.
• Suggest that the individual check out any early symptoms, no matter how mild they may seem.
• If the person is anxious regarding a spouse or family member, offer to call them.
• Enlist family members or co-workers to help you.
• Try to relieve tension with appropriate humor.
• Be personal and persistent. Sit and talk - don’t walk away.
• Congratulate the victim on his or her good judgment: “Great! Let’s just get it checked.”

When a person asks, “Why call 9-1-1?”

• EMT’s know what to do in order to save a life. Many ambulances are equipped with life-saving machines and medications that can diagnose a heart attack and stimulate the heart in case it stops.
• In communities throughout the USA, ambulances can activate a heart attack alert while they are on the way to the hospital. These facilities then activate their staff in order to provide immediate care upon arrival.

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